by Jordan Bell
A furor of activity overtook the main dining room. Several women were trying out table dressings on silk fabric, waitresses were being fitted for fantastical, revealing costumes in another corner, and men on ladders adjusted the hanging chandeliers. Most of the attention was on the bar where dishes were paired with bottles and poured glasses of wine and the scent of spun sugar and caramel filled the room. Zach and Sean held court behind the bar while a tailored woman and several suited men I didn’t recognize tasted bites from each plate, before arguing over them.
Sean caught my eye and nodded before returning his attention to one of the older men. I didn’t want to interrupt so I slid unnoticed into one of the booths. Shaped like floor-to-ceiling boxes with walls made from the silhouettes of dark mahogany colored trees, I could feel myself disappearing here within the intimate confines. Every detail had been carefully chosen, the atmosphere truly fairy-tale like.
“Mr. Roth, thank you for coming down to see the place prior to opening. It’s an honor having you in our corner.” Zach’s smooth, business voice broke my thoughts. I peeked through the wooden leaves to see Zach a few steps away from my hiding spot speaking with a tall, silver-haired gentleman in a beautiful grey suit. He had eyes like sapphires and a bizarre Botoxed youthful-aged look.
Mr. Roth. Taylor’s father. They shared the same entitled eyes.
“I’m not a foolish investor, Mr. Castle. When I put money down, I want to be sure I’m not taking any unnecessary risks.”
“And having seen the place, do you feel confident in your investment?”
“Let me put it this way, they announced this morning that Marcus Giovanni’s company bought up the entire block to the subway station. He intends to build luxury condos above eccentric clubs and shops to capitalize on the young singles filling this community. Apparently the excitement around your opening has gotten the attention of other developers as well. That makes me feel confident in my investment. Hell, I wish I’d thought of it first. Now all the land around here is too expensive to touch.”
Marcus? I hadn’t heard from him in a few days, despite texting him that we needed to talk. I guessed he was busy, but had no idea it was because he was buying up land around Sean’s restaurant. That…seemed like more than a coincidence. But didn’t it take more than a few days to handle such a massive purchase?
“We’d heard rumors of his interest a long time ago. It’s why we chose to build Wonderland here. We wanted to be right in the middle. Our father taught us a similar lesson about risk, Mr. Roth.”
Mr. Roth snorted and clapped Zach on the shoulder. Zach stood almost as tall as Mr. Roth, but was thicker through the shoulders. The physical touch did not intimidate the young business man.
“I bet he did. I look forward to the opening. I’m going to have my secretary send over a list of names I want on the guest list for the party.”
“Sure. Send them to my office. We’re just getting the invitations together now.”
Mr. Roth turned to leave but stopped and half-turned back. “One last thing. This business between Sean and Taylor. I heard the news last night. She’s pretty upset, but more than that she doesn’t want to be cut out of opening night. Too much time and effort and all that. The girl likes her distractions. I’m not saying he should fake it, but I would greatly appreciate it if he kept her in the loop through the opening. Keep her busy, give her things to do. Have him take her to the opening to show there are no hard feelings. Afterwards I’ll send her on vacation and then to assist on another of my projects. I would hate for our working relationship to be muddled because he broke my daughter’s heart. See to it.”
When Mr. Roth had walked through the front doors, Zach’s face fell into a scowl. “Because he’s not going to hate that at all.”
When Zach left I scrambled out from my hiding place. Last night when Sean spent the night in my bed and all day at work I let myself feel giddy like a teenager newly in love. Now that the competition wasn’t as gone as I’d originally believed, anxiety crept back in. Zach was right, if I hated it, so would Sean. More so.
The others who’d been sitting at the bar were gone now too, leaving Sean alone to pick at the plates. He kept a notebook beside him where he made marks about each dish. When I got close, he reached over the bar to grab my hand and lead me around behind with him. He kissed my cheek when I’d settled into the crook of his arm. He smelled like honey and dragon fruit.
“Hungry?” he asked before spooning a bite of something fluffy white, like mascarpone dusted with cocoa. He held it for me to take a bite.
“Oh god, that’s so good.”
Pride puffed his chest up a bit. He spooned something else, something drizzled in a savory white gravy with bits of tender meat floating amongst mushrooms. I could taste the sherry and mushrooms, though they were not ones I could easily name. A nutty, smooth texture. I moaned when I licked my lips for last of the flavor.
“I forgot how much weight I gained living around you.”
“It’s my pleasure to feed you.” Another bite, this time of something creamy but minty, a bright, cool texture against the tip of my tongue. “You’re half the reason I became a chef.”
“Liar,” I teased, but secretly reveled at the idea I’d had any influence over him.
“It’s true. You’ve got exquisite taste and I enjoyed making things that would blow your mind. Wine?” I accepted the glass and cleared my palette with a sweet red meant to go with the mascarpone confection.
“Mmm. You’re like Hansel and Gretel’s witch. I’m doomed, aren’t I?”
“Afraid so.” The wine flushed my skin and I smiled when he smiled. His fingertips dug into the soft flesh at the small of my back and soothed the shiver that passed through me with gentle circles. “Come home with me tonight.”
Sean leaned down, nudged my hair from my cheek to plant a series of kisses there. Long kisses, pressing, insistent. I arched into him in response.
“Yes, sir.”
“Zach.” Sean straightened suddenly and looked over the top of my head. The swish of the closing kitchen door gave Zach’s presence away.
“We need to talk.”
Sean nodded. “Wait for me in the kitchen, Kara?”
“No.” Zach put a hand on the bar so I couldn’t escape. “Both of you. You both need to hear this.”
Mr. Roth’s request. Guilt colored Zach’s eyes and he looked away from Sean’s probing gaze.
“Roth said something to you about Taylor.” Sean exhaled and leaned away from me a fraction.
“Good guess.” Zach nodded.
“I wondered if he would.” For my benefit, Sean caught my attention. “Taylor’s father is one of our biggest investors. We didn’t necessarily need investors, but he’s a friend of our father’s and insisted on helping us achieve this. It seemed like a better idea than sinking all of our inheritance with our father’s investment alone. Roth has powerful friends, all of whom were more than happy to help us get things rolling once we’d found the space to build. It’s not surprising that he’d try to throw his considerable weight around when he heard Taylor and I had ended things. What does he want?”
“Taylor’s involvement. He wants her to be a part of the opening, then he’ll send her away to do other things for his other investments.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
Zach flinched and gave me an apologetic look. “And he wants you to take her to the opening.”
I flushed, embarrassed at being caught in the middle, but Sean’s anger surprised me.
“No. That’s not going to happen. She’ll hate it as much as I will. Kara has already agreed to accompany me. That’s who I will be escorting, I don’t care how much money he throws around.”
“I don’t think its money he’s going to throw around, Sean. One word from him and all our clientele will dry up overnight. Talk to her, at least. The last thing we need is for Roth to pull his support and make our lives unbearable leading up to the opening because his daughter’s an insuffera
ble brat. I hate to say this, but I also think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep this,” he motioned between Sean and I,” a secret for now. Until after the opening. I don’t want to make the insufferable brat jealous and territorial as well.”
“No,” Sean insisted and as if Zach might force us apart, he tightened his grip on me. “No more secrets.”
“Sean.” It was the first time I’d spoken and this brought his anger down a level. I caught his lapels in my hands and tugged his attention fully to meet mine. “I don’t think he’s wrong. It’s only for a couple of weeks.”
“Kara.” His hard voice softened briefly, but I squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“This is about the opening. It only happens once, but I’ll be here for a lot longer. Talk to her, like Zach said. Maybe she won’t be interested and then it’s not a big deal.”
“Fat chance.” We all whipped our attention towards the woman standing in the middle of the room, a floor length white coat falling along her thin frame. Her breasts supported a dress so light it was almost see through. I knew with a glance she wore no underwear. She grinned, all teeth and rosy cheeks and touched her fingertips to her mouth in mock embarrassment. “No pun intended, sweetheart.”
I flushed and looked down. Sean tightened his grip on my hand. I could feel his whole body harden over in preparation for battle.
“Like I’ll be ostracized at the opening I orchestrated.” She set her briefcase on a table, popped it open, and removed several glossy purple folders. She handed them to Zach but kept her big eyes on Sean. “The menu and invitation designs. They match. I hate the table dressings, so I’ve also included the suppliers for the vendors I’ve already contacted with new designs. Get a rush order on them. I want all the invitations hand signed. Oh, I’ve also included the list of dishes and wines that should be served at the opening. I trust you can follow directions, darling?”
Both boys were so tense they vibrated. How much could this woman push and get away with it? I was pretty sure Taylor was very ready to find out.
“We already have the menu picked out.” Sean enunciated each word carefully, but his grip got no lighter on my hand.
“And the designs have already gone to the printer,” Zach added.
“Cancel them. If I’m being forced out, I’m going to make sure my stamp is on everything before I leave. Fight me on it, please. I beg you.”
When no one said a thing, she shrugged and began closing the buttons on her luxurious coat. Across the room I saw Dani, a girl I’d befriended the first time I’d met Taylor, watching the spectacle. Against Taylor’s wishes, Zach had hired Dani as the lead waitress.
Or rather, Dani was watching the coat. Another Nathan Artic original, I imagined. Clothes were Dani’s passion. Apparently Taylor’s, too.
“Very well. I’ll send you a picture of my dress so you can match your tie. The invitations should be in the mail within seven days.” She smiled then, something that ought to have been sincere but on her, only poisoned deeper. In one hand she took her briefcase, the other she slid into a pocket. “Sorry darling, but it looks like you didn’t make the guest list. I bet they’d let you work in the kitchen, though. I’m guessing you’ve got experience there.”
“Get out.” Sean very nearly leapt across the bar if not for my hand anchoring him to my side. His eyes burned almost black.
“Oh, relax, Sean. You’ll hear from me soon. Ciao, darlings.”
The doors closed behind her, her expensive perfume lingering long after she’d gone.
6
____________
“I want to see you on your knees.”
Sean urged my face to the carpet, my hands stretched out in front of me. I sighed, the tension from the restaurant ebbing out of me with each breath. Sean kept his apartment at a cool temperature which helped to sooth my heated skin. He paced behind me somewhere, bare feet hushing across the carpet. He’d been like this all night, a caged animal, a giant cat hungry for something more than scraps. I’d watched him strip his shirt off as soon as we’d walked in, muscles tightening and extending with each emphasized movement. He hadn’t even let me get comfortable in the space. We’d gone straight to his bedroom, and as evidence of his displeasure, he’d stripped me roughly down to my panties and pushed me to my knees within minutes of walking through the front door.
He paced out of the room. His restlessness made my anxiety heighten. I knew he wanted to do some intense play, but he’d been secretive in the car on the way over. He needed distraction, but I wondered if sex would be enough. I doubted anything would be enough. I was willing to do whatever it took to calm him, though.
Sean returned minutes later with leather strips stretched between his hands. I peeked at him as he crossed the room until he loomed over me. He reached down, took my hand and helped me back to my feet, then onto the big bed.
I knelt while he hooked up a series of leather restraints to his headboard. They smelled new, the leather still a little stiff. I didn’t struggle when he took up my hands and secured both to a cuff. As he worked his tension released, gave him a way to focus and calm. By the last cuff his hands had slowed and worked the leather as a lover, his grip strong but not rigid.
“Kara.” Sean retrieved a box from his bed side table, a small non-descript thing no one would have given a second glance, but I recognized it. It was the one thing that I’d noticed he’d taken with him after he left six years ago. A flutter of excitement wiped my tension as I watched him unhook the lid. What was inside was mine. I’d wondered back then why he’d taken it when he’d left the rest of me behind. Now I thought maybe I knew the reason. As much as it was mine, it was also his. No one else had any right to it.
“I remember.” I exhaled when the soft, well-worn leather collar was revealed. It was blue, as dark as a stormy sky, well used and well loved.
“May I?” I raised my eyes from the collar to his face, my hands already restrained so I couldn’t touch him, but something in his voice made me want to. It was stark, a little apprehensive. I wondered if he thought I’d say no. If I would deny him.
“God yes.” I swallowed, blushed. “I mean, yes. Sir.”
He smiled and slid the curved leather around my throat. The buckle’s metal burned cold against the nape of my neck. He had to pull my blonde hair aside to fasten it into place, and the sound the leather belt made as it slid through the buckle went straight to my sex. I wiggled excitedly and he gave my pantied backside a smack before leaning away.
“Stay still, little girl.”
The third leather strap was attached to the ring at my throat. I had very little room to move, but enough for me to be laid down if need be. I could turn my head to see him but that was about it. I lowered my hands to the bed and dropped my head in the cat-like position he adored. Completely submissive and giving and trusting. My body remembered and responded. My labia throbbed, already moist, knowing what was to come.
“Pick a safeword, Kara.” When I turned my face towards his voice, my breath caught at the back of my throat. He leaned against the doorway, his pants slung low on his hips, front buttons undone and partially unzipped. Barefoot, he looked more relaxed than he had all night. He’d taken his contacts out too, I realized. He wore small, academic glasses, rectangular and smart on his young face. He looked too normal, like a teacher, than a man with rough sexual proclivities. I licked my lips, hyperaware of his eyes on my hanging breasts, heavy and round beneath me.
“Red. I choose red.”
“Good. Simple.”
I lowered my forehead to the bed sheet in a position of supplication, which was about as far as I could stretch the leather straps. I heard him take a shaky breath as he moved closer to examine me. I could feel his eyes on my back, on the little heart shaped birthmark between my shoulder blades, downdowndown to the curve of my buttocks and the cleft between my legs that I did not bother hiding. I still wore my panties for the time being, but they were light pink and hardly covered everything.
He cli
mbed onto the bed and knelt at my shoulders. He dropped the palm of his hand to my backside and spent an agonizing minute traveling down to the large globes of my ass cheeks.
Then he hooked four fingers beneath my panties just at my coccyx, pulled them up and down over the swell. When he let them go they pooled around my bent knees.
I didn’t see him get the toy out, but I recognized the flogger straps as he gentled them up my thighs, across my bottom, and up the sway of my back. My reaction was instantaneous. I shuddered deep and drooped low. My fingers splayed in anticipation, but not in anxiety. The feel of the straps swishing across my skin was like being pet and I remembered many nights with Sean as we fiddled with the toys and got used to them. Figuring out the right way to handle a flogger sounds so much simpler in books. We’d giggled together during many nights of experimentation, especially the night we found out how ticklish I was along the front of my thighs and stomach. The memory of those days warmed me from the inside which felt extraordinary with the warmth that flushed my skin with the caress of leather straps.
With him looming over me, I became very aware of our opposites - my soft, full body ready and open before his hard stature, lean and muscular. Feminine and masculine. Dominant and submissive. Both heartbreakingly beautiful but so different and so good together. It made me aware of myself in ways I hadn’t understood before, and unmistakably proud of being his perfect opposite.
Proud, too, strangely, that I wasn’t willowy and breakable.
He exhaled as he swatted the thuddy straps across my bare skin and almost immediately I had trouble focusing. A trained response, maybe, as he primed my cool skin with the heat of his light strikes. I wrapped my fingers around the leather strap attached to my throat and pulled on it, anchored my dissolving senses. Submission was not passivity and it wasn’t about losing yourself. It was about giving yourself and actively offering possession. I wanted him to know, when the strikes became more intense, when the pain reddened my skin, that I was feeling every inch and taking it.
